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MEMORIAL 



OP 

CALIFORNIA 

TO THE LEaiSL_^TURE. 



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To the Honorable the Senate and Assemhly of the State of California : 

The undersigned, a committee appointed by the Pioneer Silk Growers 
and Manufacturers' Association of California, for the purpose of memo- 
rializing the Legislature in favor of the silk culture of the State, beg leave 
most respectfully to submit for your candid and careful consideration 
the following facts and suggestions : 

The pi'oduction of silk is confined by climatic influences to but few 
countries, and flourishes best in a warm, dry climate, where the atmos- 
phere is well charged with electricity, but where that electricity is not 
subject to sudden changes, as by lightning and thunder storms. France, 
Italy, Prussia, and other countries in the central and southern portions 
of Europe, which have been for a long time the principal countries from 
which the world has been supplied with raw silk, have been experiencing 
for the last half century a gradual change of climate unfavorable to silk 
culture, so that they are forced to import annually, from dryer countries, 
the eggs, in order to secure the health of their worm and a consequent 
crop of silk. Even with this precaution, great fears are entertained by 
those countries that they will be obliged give up its cultivation as a 
leading article of industry and export. 

The Government of England seeing this fact, and quick to take advan- 
tage of it, is putting forth extra exertions by subsidies to individual, and 
other encouragement, and endeavoring by the establishment of the silk 
culture in her East India'possessions, to supplant these countries in sup- 
plying the world with silk; and she has already become an exporter of 
more manufactured silks than alKother nations combined. 

While the production of silk is thus confined to limited portions of the 
earth by climatic and other causes, the consumption has been rapidly 
increasing, so that instead of being an article of luxury only indulged 
in by a few, as was the case but twenty years ago, it has now become, 
by the customs of society, one of the necessaries of life, constituting in 
some shape a part of the clothing worn by almost every man, woman, 
and child in eveiy country and in every community. The value of the 
annual importations of silk into the United States must strike every one 
who has not given the matter a careful examination, with amazement, 
and those who have examined the subject and ap^jreciate its magnitude, 



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are even greater wonderers that no effective steps have been taken by 
our general government to supply, to some extent at least, the enormous 
demand for the consumption of our people. 

In general terms we will state that the average annual value of such 
importation for the last ten years has been from twenty-five million 
to thirty million dollars, showing a constant and rapid increase from 
year to year. From official reports of the commerce of the United States 
for eighteen hundred and sixty-six, we learn that the value of raw and 
manufactured silks imported during that year was thirty-one million 
seven hundred and ninety-three thousand eight hundred and one dollars. 
Upon this was paid in impost duties, by the importers, the sum of sixteen 
million five hundred and forty-seven thousand eight hundred and sixty- 
eight dollai's, making the value in the custom houses, not counting other 
expenses, forty-eight million three hundred and forty-one thousand six 
hundred and seventy-four dollars. 

The above is the value of the import of raw silk and goods of all silk. 
The value of mixed goods, composed in a greater part of silk, for that 
year, was two million four hundred and ten thousand and sixty-eight 
dollars. The duty on the same — eight hundred and forty-three thousand 
five hundred and twenty-three dollars — being added, increases the value 
of these goods in the custom house to three million two hundred and 
fifty-three thousand five hundred and ninety-one dollars, which being 
added to the forty-eight million three hundred and forty-one thousand 
six hundred and seventy-four dollars, makes the whole value of silks 
imported, including impost duties, fifty-one million five hundred and 
ninety-five thousand one hundred and foui'teen dollars. 

To show the real cost to the importers, there should be added to this 
sum, for insurance, freight, interest, wharfage, and other incidental 
expenses, at least ten per cent., making fifty-six million seven hundred 
and fifty-four thousand six hundred and twenty-five dollars. Would 
we follow the examination still further, in order to ascertain the 
amount of money the people of the United States — the consumers — 
really pay annually for the silks worn by them, we must add to this sum 
at least twenty-five per cent., or fourteen million one hundred and eighty- 
eight thousand six hundred and fifty-five dollars, to cover profits to 
importers, jobbers and retailers, making the enormous sum of seventy 
million nine hundred and forty-three thousand two hundred and eighty 
dollars. 

In the above statement, the value of the silk imported into the revenue 
district of New Orleans is not included, the same not having been 
received by the revenue department when the amount reported was pub- 
lished. The addition would probably increase the above figures to over 
eighty million dollars, and when the relations of the southern States 
shall have been fully restored, .and industry and social intercourse shall 
have been again established, it is not out of the wa}^ to assume that the 
consumption of silk in these States will be at least one third what it iS 
in the northern States. 

With these figures before us, is it strange that we should begin to look 
about us to see if we have not somewhere within our borders a country 
adapted to the culture of the silk? Is it not the duty of statesmen not 
only to try and find such place, but when found, to stimulate the culti- 
vation of silk by granting such liberal Government aid to individuals as 
will most certainly give the subject a thorough test, and to extend such 
aid through a number of years until the industry is thoroughly estab- 
lished on a sure foundation ? 



The Government or State whose people pay such a tribute to the 
industry of other countries, and neglects to do this, is most certainly 
derelict to its own interests and duties, and neglectful of the interests 
and welfare of its own people. 

In the Atlantic States the experiment of introducing the silk culture 
has been tried for a succession of years, but has been finally most 
entirely abandoned, for the reasons : first, that no Government aid was 
extended to those who were disposed to go into it in good faith, and 
repeated failures and bankruptcy of individuals who begun the produc- 
tion of trees more for speculative motives than otherwise, so discouraged 
those who had the success of the industry at heart, that all gave it up ; 
and we hear of it now only as the "■ multicaulis speculation." 

The second reason why it failed in the Atlantic States is found in the 
fact that in the warmer portions of the country — the southern States — 
where it should have succeeded, if anywhere, and where the climate is 
almost as favorable, and perhaps equally so, to the, health and vigor of 
the worm, and consequent success of the business, as that of France or 
Italy, yet the atmosphere is too damp, and they have so frequent thun- 
der showers and shocks of electricity, that if in those States silk could 
be produced with tolerable success, it is probable that like Italy and 
France they would have annually to resort to dry and more favorable 
climates for their eggs, which would be a great drawback to the success 
or profits of the business. 

Another reason, and one. that has been too generally overlooked by 
writers on the subject, why the silk culture failed in the southern States 
is found in the fact that just about the time that experiments were being 
made there the cotton gin was invented and introduced, and this gave 
to cotton growing such a stimulus that all other industries were lost 
sight of, and the whole country turned its attention to the production of 
cotton. 

But now we turn to our own State, California — and what do we find 
here? While we have a soil and climate which is a marvel to the world 
for the production and perfection of all other animal and vegetable life, 
yet it seems as though nature has selected this spot and concentrated all 
her energies and laws in producing here all the conditions most favor- 
able for the fullest perfection of the mulberry tree, and its natural 
accompaniment, the silkworm. Experiments already made in the cul- 
ture of the tree and the feeding of the worms, have been so favorable 
as to warrant the belief in results far advance of anything found in their 
history in any other time or country. 

Here, in our dry, pure, and equable climate, the leaf of the mulberry 
secures the most abundant nourishment and the most perfect texture 
and fibre. 

Here, during the season forieeding the worms, from June to October, 
we have no rains to wet the food, no sudden changes in the atmosphere 
to check the growth of the worms, no explosions of electricity or thun- 
der storms to benumb or kill them. And during experiments conducted 
by an experienced and careful hand for the last ten years in San Jose, 
and by many other persons for the last three or four years in all portions 
of the State, not a diseased worm has been discovered. While in all 
other countries the loss from these causes is scarcely ever less than 
twenty-five per cent., and frequently more than thirty-three, here it may 
be said to be absolutely nothing. 

Nor are these all or even the greatest advantages we possess ; but as 
a result of them, one man can feed and take care of as many woi-ms in 



California as from seven to eight men can in Italy, France, or any of 
the at present great silk growing countries of Europe. 

Again : cocoons produced in California and sent to experts in France, 
have uniformly been pronounced the best the world has ever shown. 

The eggs of our worms, when transferred to France or Italy, have 
already established such a reputation that orders for them far exceeding 
the whole quantity ever produced in the State, and much above our 
present facilities to produce, have been sent here ; and one of your 
memorialists has been solicited to act as agent for dealers in France in 
selecting and exporting to meet the foreign demand. 

In view of the facts above enumerated, the many advantages Califor- 
nia possesses over all the old silk producing countries, the enormous price 
of silk, and the already so great and rapidly increasing consumption by 
the people of the United Slates, and the foreign demand for the worm's 
eggs, our last Legislature passed a law for the encouragement of silk 
culture in California, by promising to pay a premium of two hundred 
and fifty dollars for each plantation of five thousand trees of the age of 
two years, and three hundred dollars for each one hundred thousand 
cocoons ; the law by its terms to continue in force two years as to trees, 
and four years as to cocoons. At the time this law was passed there 
were but very few mulberry trees in the State, and no seed from which 
to produce them ; consequently, comparatively nothing was done in 
eighteen hundred and sixty-six towards accomplishing the object the 
law was designed to effect. 

Mr. Prevost, one of your memorialists, who has spent the last ten 
years of his life and a competency in proving the adaptation of his 
adopted State to the culture of silk and endeavoring to bring the facts 
before the people, that the State might be benefitted by the industry, 
has received for trees raised by him and for all the cocoons produced 
during all these tedious years of toil, and experiment, and waiting, the 
pitiful sum of five hundred and sixty-two dollars and fifty cents in pre- 
miums, a sum scarcely sufficient to pay for the postage stamps he has 
used on letters written by him within that time, trying to introduce his 
favorite industry among a people deaf to his advice and recommenda- 
tions, and negligent of what he was proving to them was their own best 
interests. The heirs of the late Wilson Flint, who during his lifetime 
did as much for the agricultural reputation of the State as any man now 
living, and a surviving partner, have also received the sum of one hun- 
dred and fifty dollars in premiums under the law, a sum not equal to one 
hundredth part of the value of the damage done by the late high water 
to property, most of which was acquired by them in view of the induce- 
ments held out by the conditions of the law. 

During the year eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, and the last year 
in which seed can be planted, and the trees claim premiums under the 
law, there has been hj the combined efforts of all who have been induced 
to go into the business, from three to five hundred thousand trees raised, 
and there has been produced besides those for which a premium has 
already been paid, one hundred thousand cocoons, for which the State is 
liable to the amount of three hundred dollars. 

Another fact which it may be well to mention as having a very great 
bearing upon this industry, and which is very much to be regretted, is, 
that there is not now in the State more than five persons who have any 
eggs from which to hatch the worms for the production of cocoons in 
eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, and the entire amount of eggs in the 
State does not exceed about three pounds. 



Your memorialists i-egard it as a matter of great regret for the inter- 
ests of the State that greater success has not attended the efforts of 
those whose enterprise and public spirit has been called into action by 
the provisions of the law under consideration. 

We believe that it would be greatly to the interests of the State if a 
scale of premiums, so graduated as to continue the encouragement of 
the business for a term of years after the expiration of the present law, 
could be offered by the present Legislature. 

We believe that if the State were to be called upon during the next 
ten years for the amount of two hundred thousand dollars for premiums 
under the law, that amount of money would be better expended, and 
would benefit the State and people more than any two hundred thousand 
dollars that has ever yet been drawn from the treasury. Money paid 
by the State as premiums for the successful prosecution of an industry 
like silk culture, is onl}^ loaned to individuals, and will come back in a 
very few years in the shape of taxes with a hundredfold increase. Cal- 
ifornia, according to official reports, is pajnng annually between six 
million and seven million dollars for silks imported. Would it not be 
better to pay even a quarter of a million in the course of ten years to 
her own citizens, if by so doing, after that time these citizens will 
supply this silk and thus keep this money at home, and add so much 
each year to the permanent wealth of the State ? It seems to us that 
this would be a good financial operation, and a good point gained in 
political economy. 

Ask England how she became the greatest manufacturing country in 
the world, and her answer is, by the encouragement of her manufac- 
tories by subsidies and bounties to individuals. 

Ask Napoleon how France came to be the greatest wine and silk pro- 
ducing country in the world, and he will tell you by the fostering care 
and encouragement of the Government. 

Ask Germany why mulberry trees are found growing on every road- 
side, and about every dwelling, and why every bouse is a cocoonery, and 
she will point to a law of her Diet compelling every owner of land to 
plant mulberry trees and make cocoons. 

But we need not go away from home for examples of the good effects 
of Government aid to private enterprise. In eighteen hundred and sixty- 
two the State passed a general bounty law for the purpose of inducing 
and encouraging new branches of industry. Under the operations of 
that law, and the additional encouragements and aids held out by the 
State Agricultural Society, there has sprung into existence within our 
borders, cotton mills, woollen mills, powder mills, oil and white lead man- 
ufactories, paper factories, boot and shoe and leather factories, shot and 
lead factories, sugar factories, glass factories, resin factories, turpentine 
and beer distilleries, hop fields, cott6n fields, tobacco fields, flax and hemp 
fields, and sugar beet fields— all creating property which contributes 
annually to the national and State revenues four times more money than 
the State has ever been called on by them for bounties under the law 
which has brought them into existence. These facts are capable of 
proof, and are famjliar to one of your memorialists, whose business it 
has been for the last five years to watch and assist the operations of this 
law as he would watch the growth and conduct of a favorite child. 

And yet, with all these facts — which are matters of history, and should 
be known to every one, and more especially to legislators — we learn 
with regret that there is now pending before the Legislature a bill to 
repeal the law of eighteen hundred and sixty-six for the encouragement 



of silk culture in California. Let us examine for a moment the effect ot 
such repeal. The Legislature could not now if they would — and we 
certainly cannot believe they would if they could — prevent the payment 
of the premiums on trees already planted, for the planting of the trees 
by individuals is the acceptance of a proposition made to them by the 
State, and there has by such acceptance become a solemn contract, and 
the money is as sure to be paid as though the warrants were already 
drawn on the Treasurer by the Controller. Therefore, as by the terms 
of the law, the State's liability for premiums on trees cannot now be 
changed, the only effect produced by a repeal of the law would be to 
prevent the payment of premiums on silk, and thus after paying pre- 
miums, or becoming liable therefor, on the trees, to discourage the use 
of those trees for the very object for which the State has created them, 
and render them comparatively valueless both to individuals and to the 
State. 

The real object of the law was to encourage the production of silk, an4 
to place the industry on such a sure road to success, and advance it to 
that position that individual enterprise, stimulated by profits to be 
derived from the business itself, could and would continue it until it 
became one of the permanent and profitable industries of the country. 
Individuals need this encouragement, and without it they cannot and will 
not go on. Manufactories cannot be established and maintained here unless 
the raw material is found for them to live upon, and there will be no raw 
material unless a demand is created in some way /or that raw material. 

The object of the law was to create that demand and stimulate the 
production until a sufficient amount was produced to start and maintain 
the factories; and after that let the factories step in and take the place 
of State aid. When this point is reached State aid will no longer be 
needed. The relations of producer and consumer, of demand and supply, 
will then have been established ; the State, will have accomplished her 
object in the passage of the law, and silk cultui-e and manufacture in 
California will have become a fixed and valuable fact. 

Another consideration. We doubt very much whether the State can 
by a repeal of the law dissolve her contract and withhold the premiums 
on cocoons she has promised from those parties who are now prepai^ed 
with the trees and eggs for the production of silk. If a party has 
invested his money in eggs, he has accepted the proposition ; and if he 
goes on in good faith and produces cocoons from those eggs, has he not 
fulfilled the contract on his part for the production of silk? Can one of 
the contracting parties dissolve the contract at will without the consent 
of the other ? 

But suppose the State could, after paying for the trees now growing, 
withhold the premiums for cocoons, would it be wise to do so ? By so 
doing she would nip in the bud an industry which, if allowed to continue 
under her fostering care, and encouragement held out, would grow to be 
the first industry of the State. The wine interest, the wool interest, the 
grain interest, and even our exhaustless mines of precious metals would be 
but secondary to silk culture. 

In proof of this proposition, we point to the value of our annual 
importations of silk, for which we are exporting an equal in value in 
gold to the amount of from seventy-five million to eighty million dollars 
per annum. 

This demand is already at our doors, asking to be supplied. Shall we 
prepare to supply it, as we can, or shall we now, by adverse legislation, 
discontinue the effort ? 



The golden apple hangs invitingly at our very hands. Shall we put 
them forth and pluck it, and thus secure forever the prize for which the 
old countries are struggling; or shall we through neglect, through indif- 
ference, or through a want of energy and enterprise, coupled with a short- 
sighted cupidity, allow them to continue in triumph to carry it away 
from us ? 

Again : the impetus given silk culture by the passage of the law in 
question, has created a California silk fever in the silk producing coun- 
tries of Europe. 

The rich silk merchant, the business silk manufacturer, and the skilled 
silk producer, have their eyes and heads turned toward California, and 
if we continue the inducement they will soon be among us, putting out 
silk plantations, building silk cocooneries, establishing silk factories, and 
trading in our California produced silks. Shall we by adverse legislation 
turn this most valuable immigration from our shores, when the greatest 
of California's toan^s is immigration? or shall we continue to hold out 
'the invitation given, and thus bring an industrious population among us ? 

All of which is most respectfullv submitted. 

I. N. HOAG, 
W. WADSWOETH, 
L. PEBVOST, 
A. P. SMITH. 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



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